The European Commission yesterday supported a ban on the international trade of bluefin tuna.
Willie Mackenzie of Greenpeace said: “Bluefin tuna populations have fallen to critically low levels. And it has become endangered because of disgraceful fisheries management in the EU.
“But today’s move doesn’t mean that this fish is saved yet. Member states still need to agree to support this ban, and follow the lead of countries like the UK.
“Anyone who is opposed to the proposed trade ban is clearly putting short-term commercial interests above the survival of the species, and the future of the fishing industry.”
The proposal to list bluefin tuna as an endangered species was originally tabled by Monaco in July at the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), the inter-governmental body responsible for the conservation of tuna, in response to critically low and overfished stocks. French President Nicolas Sarkozy led calls supporting the proposal by Monaco. Several other EU countries, including the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland and Austria, have also backed the move.
